Victoria Rose
by akaeve
Summary: Written for an NFA challenge. Mrs Mallard in the home.


**Victoria Rose**

Mrs Mallard was pottering round the old folks home. Pottering, as in flower arranging and general pot planting. She began to think back to the days when things were simpler and easier to understand, Kenya had the most wonderful flowers. She remembered the High Commissioners garden parties. The flowers, the Arabicum, Delphiniums, Veronica, Asiatic Hybrid Lilies and Oriental Lilies. The smell on the warm summer evenings had been heady and sexual. G + T's, served on the pristine green grass, watered by the servants. Oh yes, she remembered ………..that nice young man of Donald's, he didn't bring her a drink………oh yes where was she.

Pots……chamber pots…….. Yes, this was another reason why Donald, the ungrateful child, had put her here. She had gone outside with the dogs and they had relieved themselves and since her bladder was not what it was…….she had done the same. That nasty man from next door had seen and told Donald.

Chamber pots. Chanties as they were called in Scotland, kept under the bed, in case one was caught out in the night. Now days, as she looked at the pots, they were decorative and used as flower pots. She walked over, picked one up and tipped the plant onto the floor. Yes this would do nicely. Mrs Mallard walked away with the pot.

Victoria Mallard……….born Edinburgh, 1913, yes at 7.13pm………Edinburgh Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children, other wise known as Brutsfield Hospital. She had been called Victoria after the late Queen. Her parents had always said she was like royalty.

Victoria……….she had been taken to the Falls, by her late husband. She had liked Africa…………Oh yes, when was it? She had been that day, with Donald to where he worked, that nice girl……….the one with the tattoos and the ……………Hippopotamus amphibious……….Kenya……….she had swam with them once……….skinny dipped………..Donald never knew about that. She giggled to herself.

"Mrs Mallard?" she heard a voice say, "Where are you going with that pot?"

"I have freed it from it's shackles and I will be returning it to it's true abode." she replied, turning and stormed back to her room.

She sat in the quietness of her room looking about, the clock…. she stared at it. It was definitely going back……..time was returning to the beginning……….she was tired…..must ask Donald about the clock. She farted……….and giggled………she thought back in time to the day she had met the hippo girl……..that hippo had farted………it reminded her of the days she used to play the bag-pipes. Donald had not approved…………she used to like to pipe the haggis in on Burn's night. Donald always said it was so unladylike…….What was it the ungrateful child did now…..Thanksgiving……..Donald was now an American citizen, she had kept her independence and was still British.

"You have a visitor Mrs Mallard." she heard the nurse say, looking in the door.

Victoria thought I must find out what her preference in underwear is, you can always tell a woman's intentions by her panties…………..Her sister Gloria was a hussy…..her knickers were not as they should have been………the hussy had even tried to seduce her husband……… when he had been alive of course……….I mean you wouldn't try to make love to a dead body would you?………..Now Donald he talked to his dead bodies…..strange boy………

"Mrs Mallard………a visitor."

"Matthew….is it Matthew?" she enquired………..she had liked him….he was Donald's friend………….she hadn't liked that new paper-boy……….he didn't bring the news and he was friends with the hippo girl………

"Mother……….how are you today?"

"Who did you say you were again…….Mother?"

"No,………. it is I….Donald."

"Donald, you ungrateful child………..have you come to take me away from here……I'm bored."

"No,……… I have come to take you for a drive."

"You drive too fast Donald. I find we are usually back before we have started."

"Mother are you ready?"

"Donald that clock," pointing at the wall "It's going back. See… it says 1.40 it was 1.50 a few moments ago."

"Mother….. it is 10.20am. You are looking at the clock in the mirror."

"Two clocks are there?……….very strange." she replied. "Now which hat will I wear? And have you bought Tyson and Contessa? I do not like you looking after them, you will feed them all the wrong food…………"

"No, Mother they get dog food not, what you used to eat……….or not as the case maybe." Dr Mallard now answered.

"I needed to know if you were poisoning me in order to get your inheritance." Mrs Mallard now retorted. "Oh Donald, did you bring that nice Gigolo? What was his name again……he was Italian."

"Tony?" Ducky replied wishing they could get on the road.

"Yes that was him. Can you get him to come and move some furniture for me………I have to move that commode. I need it over there." pointing to the bed. "Beside the chamber pot."

"Mother…….where did you pick this up from. There is earth in the bottom……….You haven't used it and then emptied into the ground have you?"

"Donald………it was being used as a flower container. And it is so pretty." she replied, "Give it back to me please."

"Mother are you ready to go for this drive?"

Mrs Mallard pulled her hat on and Ducky helped her on with her coat. He opened the door and she swept out into the corridor.

Dr Mallard knew the car journey would tire her out. The fresh air. He had brought and given the nurses a bottle of Wild Turkey, they said it helped her to sleep. Thing was, the nurses always said, she always went back to when she had visited her brother Carkin. He had been a cooper, making the whisky casks. She always tended to boss everyone about.

"Where are you taking me?" Mrs Mallard demanded, " Are you kidnapping me? I keep a knife in my brassier you know. Are you taking me home. I have had enough of that place, they are strange…….they don't keep things where they should be………..and they hide my whiskey."

"Mother……"

"Why do you keep calling me Mother? My name is Victoria………….Victoria Rose……I am 96 you know………..Who did you say you were again?"

"I'm your son Donald………."

"Are we going to see Carkin, I would like to see him again………..not that sister of mine……….but does she still work with you?"

"Mother I think you are thinking of Abigail."

This was how the conversation went on. Ducky found it hard. His mother criticising and complaining and remembering and then forgetting. It was tiring for Ducky. He thought if I ever get like that, I must get someone to shoot me or take an over dose….but then I would probable forget.

They arrived back at the home, early evening. They had stopped for afternoon tea. Ducky saw his mother back to her room and made sure she was fine. Mrs Mallard looked at the clock.

"Donald the time……….it is seven thirteen, I have missed dinner………and I will not get anything until tomorrow breakfast."

"Mother………it is only five.. forty three. You are looking at the mirror again." he now replied.

"So time does go back……………." as she sat on the chair at the window, staring out.

"Donald," she asked, turning and now looking at her son, "Could I have Victoria Roses…………"

"Of course Mother." now looking at her, he knew the time had come. He kissed her head. "Goodnight…….."

"Goodnight………….."

He gently shut the door behind himself. He left her with her memories, or what was left of them.

The End


End file.
